The president emphasized that the law doesn’t contradict the Minsk agreements

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has promised to sign the law on Donbas reintegration as soon as it’s delivered from the parliament, as he said today during his speech on the Day of Unity.

“I will sign it as soon as it is submitted by the Parliament,” the President said.

“The Law is valuable for us as it is a technology to return the occupied territories under the sovereignty of Ukraine. The Day of Unity will be with a bitter taste for Ukrainians until the Russian invaders walk on the sovereign land of Crimea and Sevastopol, Donetsk and Luhansk,” the President stressed.

According to him, this Law establishes the right of Ukraine to self-defence under article 51 of the UN Charter and explains the mechanism of its implementation. At the same time, it confirms the priority of peaceful, political and diplomatic settlement.

The draft law defines Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily occupied territories as the territories over which Russia’s armed groups and Russian occupation administration have established control (including land, water, subsoil and air). The boundaries of such territories should be determined by the president on the proposal of the Defense Ministry based on the recommendations of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The total absence of Russian servicemen in the occupied territories should be confirmed by the Defense and Internal Ministry - they must together submit a communication to Ukraine’s president, who shall take the decision. The president will decide on the beginning and completion of measures to ensure national security and counteract Russian aggression.